Intentional Gratitude

/ Robin Glinka / Leave a comment
God’s Canvas

Lately the Lord has been speaking with me about being intentionally grateful in spite of what may be going on in my life personally or in the world itself. I struggle at times with focusing on the Lord and His promises when all in the world seems so chaotic and ugly. It takes intentionality to shift my mindset and focus on God and His promises and to see the daily blessings in the midst of the chaos. Does anyone else struggle with this?! There is so much beauty in the world. He’s helping me see and reminding me to be grateful for the little pleasantries in the daily mundane happenings of my life. Things like enjoying solitude and rest with Him, enjoying the beauty and sounds of nature, gratefulness for a word of encouragement from a stranger or friend, gratefulness for being able to physically do daily tasks, and so many more things that could go unnoticed in a hectic day. I find it challenging to be informed of what is going on in the world without allowing all the negativity and chaos in the world creep in and drown out His voice. I am grateful that He is gracious and patient in reminding me of His promises and that He is always walking with me through any trials I encounter. I am grateful for the journey He has me on, but the past year has been a bit daunting in so many ways-physically, emotionally and spiritually. Yet He has remained faithful and even in the midst of chaos, I do sense His presence and peace when I keep my eyes focused on Him. I’m grateful that I can pour my heart out to Him. He already knows my needs and desires and has been working on my behalf. I’m grateful for the growth, even though it is painful at times. He is always gracious to carry me when I need it. I do enjoy the new perspectives He shows me and the grace He gives when I fall short. He has been teaching me to love others and myself better and in all things to be more grateful and grace giving.

It truly does change my mindset and perspective as I go throughout the day purposefully looking for things to be grateful for and looking for ways to better love others. It’s helped me extend more grace to others and myself. It reminds me that we are all on this journey called life, individually and collectively, and we are all working through things good and bad. There is so much more peace and joy in extending kindness, encouragement, love and gratitude to others. It’s often easy to see the negative in situations and others which only seems to lead to more divisiveness. But, with intentionality, I can be a source of encouragement and hope, it is so much fun to spread positivity and speak life into people and situations. There is a treasure in every trial- some just are harder to see and take more intentionality.

My prayer is that each person reading this will be intentional in keeping their eyes on the Lord and His goodness in these crazy times. I also pray that each will be intentional in being positive and encouraging to one another. Be a light that shines and brings out the gold in someone else. Don’t allow the negativity and divisiveness of the enemy to be the main voice you hear.

Lord, thank you for continuing to walk with me and those reading this as we walk through this life. Help us keep our eyes on You and Your promises. Help us have a tender and loving heart just like your son Jesus. May each person You bring across our path be touched by Your presence. Thank you for helping me and each individual, navigate the challenges of life, knowing You are there and have even gone before us in all situations. Help us be intentional in seeking time with You and in bringing out the gold in others. Help us find the beauty and gratitude in the seemingly mundane daily tasks of life. Thank you for the beauty of nature, smell of fresh cut grass and singing of the birds. You truly are a God of detail! We love you Lord! Amen

Who will you encourage and uplift today!?

Reflections

Beloved

/ Robin Glinka / Leave a comment

Beloved-“greatly loved; dear to the heart” as defined by the dictionary app.

I’ve read this word many times, but have never really stopped to ponder what it means or to allow it to truly seep to the depths of my heart. The God of the universe calls me and you His “beloved”. God call Jesus His “beloved son” in Matthew 3:17-NKJV (after Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist): “And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The Apostle John used ‘beloved’ in 1 John 3:21 when He was talking to believers- “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.” Beloved is used in scripture to describe believers of Jesus Christ and seems to denote a very deep and intimate type of relationship.

When I think of how much God loved Jesus, I can only compare it to how much I love my children. They are my beloved and as a child of God, I am His beloved. Sometimes it’s hard for me to wrap my mind-intellect around that concept. Maybe it’s because it’s not physically tangible in the same sense we experience here in this world-like a big hug. When I step out of my intellect and open my eyes and ears, I can see God all around me- in nature- the beauty of sunrises and sunsets, the song of birds, the warmth of the sun and the lull of rainy days. I see Him in His word- a verse that speaks to me by “jumping” off the page, even though I may have read it many times before. I see Him in worship-the words or melody of a song, in prayer- the peace in His presence and through random acts of kindness that come just when needed- an encouraging word, a smile and a genuine hug.

To be His beloved is unchanging. It’s not based on circumstances, works or anything other than who He is-Love. First John 3:20-21 NKJV-“for if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.” Throughout life we strive to be loved and known by others, when God has already fulfilled that need. God knows everything about us and still loves us. God may not be happy with some of our behaviors and in a loving parental role with correct us, but He never stops loving us. The enemy whispers lies to us to keep us from truly receiving and trusting the Lord in this matter. The evil one wants me to not trust, to doubt, to cower away from the truth of God’s love, because when I do, I am not living in all that God has for me and wants to do through me. There is peace in truly accepting God’s love and allowing that to be the absolute truth above all else. We need to allow His love for us to be the catalyst for living a life solely for Him. It takes intentionality to stay focused on God’s truths and not allow the whispers of the enemy to enter our heart and to distract us from God’s truth.

My prayer for myself and all reading is-Lord, keep my ears, eyes and thoughts focused on You. Lord with your help I choose to trust the depths of Your love for me and I choose to trust You in all aspects of my life. Thank You for all you’ve already done, for all you will do and for always being with me. Amen

Faith and Works

/ Robin Glinka / Leave a comment
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James 2:22 (NKLV) “Do you see that faith was working together with his works and by works faith was made perfect?”

I recently read this scripture in James and it seemed to stir something in my heart. I love how scripture, no matter how many times you may have read it before can come alive when you read it. How it can renew something within or convict you in making a change. God is so good that way and He is forever speaking to our spirits through His word.

Our faith and what we believe is demonstrated in our works-what we speak, think and do. For those that are non-believers, a believer’s actions speak louder than their words. Our actions, as a proclaimed Christ follower, are watched and truly speak louder than words. Our actions are watched and held in comparison to what we say. It’s like with children. They listen to what you may say, but are much more inclined to mimic what you do. Truth be told, most of us do the same in assessing the truth and integrity of a person. If a person says one thing, but does another- what will you base your truth about their integrity upon? What they said? or What they did? It their words and actions are congruent, there is no conflict and it is easy to grow to trust what that person says because you have seen their words and actions line up. However, conflict in trust arises when a person says one thing and does another. Their words and actions are incongruent. Thankfully with the Lord there is always congruency in action and words. God is unchanging and trustworthy in all things and at all times.

The struggle for me comes when a person’s words and actions don’t line up. Does anyone else struggle with this? Whether it is an acquaintance, close friend, or family member, how do I know what to truly trust about that person when words and actions aren’t congruent? How do I set good boundaries and still extend the grace and love of the Lord to that individual? How do I keep offense or anger from taking a foothold? I by no means claim to be perfect or claim to live a life free of making mistakes, but there is a difference in realizing that a mistakes been made, taking ownership and asking forgiveness for the mistake and not repeating the mistake vs not acknowledging the mistake, blaming others for the mistake and repeatedly making the same “mistake”. Transparency and accountability help to build trust.

One thing the Lord has recently reminded me is that we are all a work in progress and God extends His grace and love to each of us as we journey through the process. It is often easier to extend grace to oneself, whereas it can be more difficult to do so to those around us. It takes an intentional effort at times to extend grace to those around us especially if we have been hurt in the process. It takes an intentional effort to remember that the Lord is also doing a work in those around us. God is continually faithful to extend grace and love to us when we hurt Him. In a sense, the ability to extend grace in the midst of disparities can be faith in action, a faith that God’s ultimately involved in every aspect of my life and the life of others. Showing love and grace is faith in action when everything in you may want to do otherwise.

Things I ponder- Are my thoughts, words and actions a good representation of who God is and how He loves every person? Am I walking out His love. Am I demonstrating my faith through seeking Him and trusting Him to guide my actions? That is my desire- to be the individual unique light He designed me to be, to reflect His love and grace no matter what. Lord, continue to grow me and transform me into Your likeness for the glory of Your kingdom. Lord, I pray that You bless each person reading this with a renewed or emboldened love for You that You will use to spread to the world around them. Amen

Perspective

/ Robin Glinka / Leave a comment

Earlier this week, I had gotten off work with enough day light left to walk to the beach and catch the sunset before my drive home. I was so grateful for a walk in the fresh air after wearing a mask all day at work. The day was a bit overcast, windy and cold by Florida standards (50 degrees F) . As I was walking, I enjoyed seeing birds flying head strong into the wind and others just coasting along with the wind. As I got to the beach there were several other people there bundled up and watching the sunset. In particular, I remember seeing a mother and daughter with their dog. It was a cute little mutt looking dog. They watched the sunset for a bit and then headed down the beach. That evening there were many clouds in the sky. I really enjoy sunsets when there are clouds present. To me, clouds seem to adds another layer of beauty and dimension. There is something about sunsets and their beauty. They are a reminder to me of God and His majesty. I feel a special closeness to my Creator in those moments. How is it that each sunrise and sunset is never the same?!!! That in itself is amazing to me!! The colors are often so vibrant and breathtaking. Try as I might, I can never fully capture their beauty in a photo. There was a cloud layer along the horizon line that evening, so I didn’t see the sun touch the water, but the colors and dimensionality created by the clouds as the sunset was still very beautiful! My perspective!

As it started to get dark, I started walking back to my vehicle. It was a 15-20 minute walk and I wanted to get back to my car before it was totally dark. On my walk back, I came to a crosswalk and on the other side was the same mother, daughter and their cute little dog. A car was coming up to the crosswalk and the little girl said” look mom, it’s daddy.” The vehicle stopped and they walked over to get in the car. The father commented to his wife that he was coming to join them to watch the sunset. She replied saying” It was awful. It was cloudy so you couldn’t even see it”. As I walked across the crosswalk, I had to chuckle to myself. I thought- WOW “perspective”. Her perspective was very different from mine. It was a reminder to me that perspective is everything and it varies between people based on our attitudes, experiences and expectations. We get to choose our attitude and while we can’t always choose our experiences, we can choose how we will respond to them. It make me think about my responses to what “my expectations” may be versus the how things actually unfold. Do I let my focus on the missed expectations cause me to miss the beauty and glory of the current situation that God orchestrates?

Perspective as defined by the dictionary app- ” the faculty of seeing all the relevant data in a meaningful relationship; a mental view or prospect; the state of one’s ideas, the facts known to one, etc, in having a meaningful interrelationship”. Something to ponder: could trying to see and understand another person’s perspective when it differs from our own give a more complete view? It’s like looking at a clock and if two people are seeing it from different angles, their perspectives will most likely be different, but does that mean it’s wrong, or is it just different? Maybe trying to understand these differences could open doors of understanding and maybe even be an opportunity for growth, healing or innovation in some cases.

Lord, I pray that I will never let my expectations or desires keep me from seeing and appreciating the story You are writing for my life. Lord help me to always respect and try to understand the perspective of others while also being able to see Your perspective on things in my life. Thank you Lord for Your grace and gentle correction when I miss the mark in life and thank you for loving me where I am, while growing me to be who You designed me to be. Lord I pray this for each person reading and I am grateful for the beauty in each sunrise and sunset. I love you Lord. Amen

Good Bye 2020, Hello 2021

/ Robin Glinka / 1 Comment
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What a crazy ride 2020 was! As I look back from this time last year and reflect on everything, I feel grateful. 2020 was filled with many crazy things for me and most others that I’ve talked too. Starting in February I started to not feel well and I think I visited the doctor more in the first couple of months of 2020 than I had in the past 3 years total! After 2 consecutive weekend trips to the ER, I was diagnosed with an “intusseception” and was in surgery within the next hour. I was told an intusseception was rare in adults and was a situation where my intestine telescoped in on itself. Apparently it warrants emergency surgery. I was amazed how calm and at peace I felt during this whole process. I could sense the Lord’s presence and peace. I was in the hospital for 4 days and was blessed by the visitation of so many friends and family who offered help, encouragement or just came to sit with me as I dozed in/out of sleep. The staff and the surgeon were all so kind and caring. It was weird for me to be on the receiving end of help as I am much more comfortable being on the giving end of things. I had to be intentional about accepting the assistance others offered through visiting, praying and bringing meals to my home. It made my heart so full and I felt so loved by each person. The presence and peace of the Lord through the whole procedure and recovery was indescribable. I left the hospital on a Tuesday and everything shut down due to Covid that Friday. I was very grateful to be at home recovering.

Both the Covid epidemic and the fact of slowly recovering from abdominal surgery forced me to slow down and reflect on many things. I felt like I had been going 100 miles an hour with work and then everything came to an abrupt halt. I’m sure I, like many, started to ponder things in life. I had never thought my identity was so influenced by what I do for a living, but I did have to renew my mind after being out of work after my surgery. I work as a physical therapist and love my job. It brings me such joy to be given the privilege of helping others get back to doing the things they want to do after injury or surgery. After my surgery, I had to remind myself that who I am is a child of God and what I do is physical therapy. My value and worth are based on how God sees me not on what I do. I do believe God gives us each gifts and talents to use for the betterment of the Kingdom, but His love for me is based solely on the fact that I am His child. Not sure if this resonates with anyone else, but knowing and reminding myself of that truth is so freeing.

I did return to work after 6 weeks and at that time my company had us only going in for emergent cases. I took advantage of the time to spend more time taking walks, sitting with the Lord, writing and in a sense rediscovering me. I was forced to slow down and for me it was such a blessing. It revived my creative juices. I started trying to learn the violin(never have played a musical instrument), picked up my camera and started taking pictures again, I started getting interested in plants and gardening, and I started this blog. I felt like I was starting to get a better balance in my life. I was no longer feeling perpetually fatigued and was enjoying the blessings each day had to offer. I no longer felt like I was on a hamster wheel and working for the weekends.

As things opened back up and work got back to full go again I could see my self slowly slipping back to all work and less time for the things I had come to enjoy in life again. Getting walks in during the week was becoming difficult due to long days and feeling exhausted by the time I got home. Less time exploring new creative ventures. December was very challenging from a work stand point but the Lord gave me strength to get through it while still giving me enough energy to pursue some creative ventures. I took a trial pottery wheel class. I have started spending time with my mom making cards and have been making an effort to get some exercise done. I have been more expectant and grateful for how the Lord shows up in each day to encourage me, to use me to encourage others, and to just recognize His presence in every detail of each day.

So, while there have been so many crazy things in my life this past year, which I have only shared a portion and many crazy things in the world during 2020, I encourage you to reflect back and be grateful for each day. During the days that there are trials, remember there is always a treasure to be had. Some days may be more of a challenge to see the treasure, but it’s there. Remember the Lord is always working, even when we don’t understand things and He is a good Father, So during trials I like to ask myself, “Lord what am I supposed to learn, what are You trying to teach me and thank you that You love me and want to grow me.” Now that 2020 is behind us and 2021 is here, my prayer is that we will see the good, learn from the bad, be conduits of God’s love, be grateful and be blessed as we bless others. Amen

Food For Thought!

/ Robin Glinka / Leave a comment
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So many thoughts rattle in my head. Anyone else have this problem?! Why is there so much divisiveness and bitterness in the world today? It seems to only be getting worse. Why is it assumed by many that if someone doesn’t agree with their viewpoint on something, whether it’s related to politics, sanctity of life, race, gender issues, BLM, religion or any other major topic in the world today, that the person who disagrees or has a differing point of view/belief is a hater of that particular people group? Instead, why can’t we as a society just say we don’t agree and open up the lines for a civil discussion? My disagreement on an issue doesn’t make me a hater of anyone. It’s simply a differing of beliefs.

It seems to me (as the Mandisa song featuring Toby Mac says) “we all bleed the same” and the Bible teaches we are all loved equally by God. Let us remember we are not loved based on us, but loved because that is who God is. I can only imagine how grieved He must be to see such hate and divisiveness. What if we choose to purposefully find commonalities and build on those things? What if we could have civil discussions based through the lens of love and respect about differences? Wouldn’t that allow us to develop better relationships despite our differences?

I liked a clip I heard recently from Miles McPherson pastor of the Rock Church in San Diego (I have included it at the end of the blog for your own viewing and pondering). I know I can’t control the response of others on these many challenging but vital topics, but I can do my part to respond in a positive and loving way towards others that I don’t see eye to eye with on various topics. I can ask questions to try and understand and value a person’s perspective. Maybe I’ll learn something or see something from an angle that I hadn’t even considered. Maybe through modeling love and respect it will plant seeds in others to do the same, allowing constructive discussions to take place. Imagine a grass roots effort of spreading love and respect starting with you in your sphere of influence!! How cool would that be?!! Sounds like a crazy dream in these crazy times, but one I can wake up to every day and look without regret at myself in the mirror. Each choice we make is an opportunity to spread the light and love of God…..or not….What will you choose?!!! I choose light!!!

Hope you enjoy!!

Choices

/ Robin Glinka / Leave a comment

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Life is all about making choices. Have you ever thought about how many times a day you make a choice and the impact of that choice on your life in the present as well as your future? Have you thought about how the choices you make not only impact your life, but also the lives of those in your sphere of influence? I’m not trying to overthink each choice, but it is good to be aware of the importance of each choice in shaping our lives and impacting the lives of others.

Even seemingly simple choices like, what should I eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, what should I wear today, how should I respond verbally to this situation, or any other seemingly simple choice have present and future impacts in our lives. For example, choosing what to eat, over time it can impact your health for good or bad; what you choose to wear portrays to others a bit about your character and how you value yourself. Dressing in a sexy and provocative manner will draw lustful eyes, whereas dressing more conservative but elegant will call for more respect and value of your body. The sexy and provocative is something that one can enjoy and reserve for one’s spouse!

In responding to others, do I choose to speak life and encouragement, building them up, or do I choose to speak criticism and negativity into their life. One response is life giving, the other response tears others down. I do believe there are times when constructive criticism spoken in love is necessary and essential to reveal blindspots in our lives. We all have blindspots and even as painful as it can be in the moment, I am grateful to have trusted individuals, that love me, bring to light those areas to which I have been blind. It is through these difficult to hear, but necessary times that the Lord can do a work in growing and refining me into better and more Christlike person. I remember one such time when a friend ask me if I thought of myself as a judgemental person and I said no. I said that I try to treat everyone with equal love and kindness. She revealed a blindspot of judgement I had because of my own insecurities of being different and believing people didn’t like me. You see, I would tend to stay secluded and not initiate interaction with people in social settings because of my insecurity of being rejected. So in essence, I had formed a judgement of how they perceived me without giving them a chance. Ouch!! That stung a bit, but I’m so glad she enlightened me to that blindspot and the lie I was believing, because without her doing so, I may never have seen it.

So, back to choices. What do you do with bad choices you’ve made in the past? They can’t be changed. I have made many bad choices during my life. I’ve found the best thing is to look back and see what I can learn from each bad choice, so I don’t make it again. Next, I try to be intentional about making the “next” best choice. Don’t let choices of the past keep you locked in shame and regret. Instead, seek forgiveness from God and trust He has forgiven you. Then, you will be free to move forward in the journey He has for you.

I find I can’t focus too much on the future. Though it is important to have goals and take steps to be purposeful in working towards them, ultimately I need to stay in the present and focus on making the “next” best choice each time a one is presented. By staying in the present, I can enjoy what the Lord has given me each day and I can better stay tuned to what He’s asking me to do in the current moment. By being obedient to following the guidance of the Lord, He can shape and guide me along His path for my life. I’m amazed at times I have reflected back on my life and choices He asked me to make that made no sense at the time, but in retrospect, I can see the beautiful and sometimes difficult journey He has taken me through to get me to where I am now!! I’m so grateful that He never gives up on me and when I do make bad choices. He is patient and loving as He steers me back on track, and He will do the same for you!! Seek Him and open your heart to allowing Him full access to your life. He will not disappoint you. It won’t always be easy, trust me, but it will be an amazing journey.

I have found He will often ask you to make a choice that makes no logical sense, but deep in your spirit, you will know it’s what He’s calling you to do, just like he did of Abram (later called Abraham) in Genesis 12:1. God told Abram to go forth to a land he would show him. What?! Pack up and leave without telling Abram where he was to go before he left?! That’s craziness–at least for the one that likes to know the plan a head of time!

The Lord is helping me each day to make the “next” best choice as it is presented and to trust the incredible journey He is taking me on in this adventure called life! Will you choose to be intentional about making the “next” best choice each day? It can be challenging, but also an amazing blessing.

Lord I pray you guide each person reading this, and myself, in making the “next” best choice as each choice is presented, from the smallest to the biggest, knowing and trusting Your plan; knowing that You love us and have good planned for our lives as we grow in a deeper, more intimate relationship with You!! Thank you in advance for answering this prayer! Amen

Daily Stewardship-what does it look like?

/ Robin Glinka / Leave a comment

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What is a steward? According to the dictionary app it is defined as ” a person who manages another’s property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another or others”. So I ask myself am I a good steward of all that God has given me? Do I step into each decision the Lord lays before me envisioning it as an opportunity to be a good steward of all He’s given me?

Steward of finance? Steward of resources? Steward of love? Steward of gifts/talents? Steward of time? Steward of every aspect of my life? How would looking to steward the things of life each day look, instead of just living life day to day in a haphazard manner? Isn’t all I have truly sourced from God Himself? What if I was intentional in shifting focus from what “I have or what I plan for each day” to allowing the Lord to show me how to steward all He’s given me throughout each day? A mind set shift from self to Kingdom(servant). This seems to be an area of growth the Lord is constantly refining in me!!!

What if I allowed Him to interrupt “my” plans for the day in light of an assignment he may be placing before me to steward His resources for furthering the Kingdom here on earth. It could be a financial tug from Him to sow into something, give to someone or bless someone. Will I choose to be obedient when I don’t physically or rationally see how I can afford to do so? When it makes no earthly sense and the resources “aren’t there” is when a true call to obedience and the true trust I have in the Lord is lived out. I will tell you each time He has called me to this and I have been obedient I have been a blessed and He reveals more of Himself to me. Often in hindsight things that didn’t make sense in the moment will have a clarity retrospectively. There are also other times when the clarity isn’t there but Gods peace is undeniable.

What about when I don’t have “time” for something or someone He has placed in my path. My struggle is that I tend to calculate the cost to myself instead of being atoned to His calling. It reveals areas of selfishness that need to be refined in me. Giving of money has always been easier than giving of my time. Ironically, I have always told my family that giving of your time is a priceless gift that you give someone. We all have the same number of hours in the day, but it’s how we spend them that is the gift. Time is also a key ingredient in growing intimate and meaningful relationships. I know from past and recent times of obedience that He is always faithful, yet , I tend to drift to logical thinking. Don’t get me wrong, logical thinking is good, but it should never trump my obedience to the Lord. Walking out trust is much different than just the lip service of “I trust you Lord”.

This past month has been filled with so many last minute major schedule changes- such as drives of 15+ hours to help others; last minute moves of family; financial strains; giving of time and resources beyond what I could even imagine. I can tell you that through it all there were a few times when I had to be purposeful to keep my focus on Him and what He was doing and not on me and my selfish desires. Throughout the process there was so many blessings- memories made and relationships strengthened! I am still in the midst of this ongoing journey and I’m sure each of you have similar journeys you are going through. Remember to be a steward and watch what He does. So glad He loves me enough to challenge and grow me!!!

“Lord continue to help me in this area: connecting the head knowing of ‘I can trust You’ to the heart and to the action of walking out my trust by doing whatever it is You ask without question; by walking it out with joy and excitement for the adventure and journey You have for me. Lord, Help me walk the journey You have for my life knowing you are good, faithful, trustworthy, loving, full of blessings, and desiring to give me nothing but the best! Help me live in the uniqueness of me, loving how you’ve designed me, knowing and rejoicing in the fact that I’m one of a kind; that You purposefully made us each unique and with a specific purpose in mind to fulfill for Your Kingdom. Thank you Lord, that You are the Master Creator and each individual is Your masterpiece with a specific purpose in Your Kingdom. That all are equally important in Your eyes and collectively work to serve Your purpose. Lord help myself and others to not be distracted or lead astray by things of this world. Help me to continually rejoice each day and walk forth treasuring my uniqueness and trusting Your guidance as You daily give me opportunities to be a faithful and purposeful steward of all You have given me. Help me only see others as You see them and to encourage them in their uniqueness and gifts. Lord I pray this for myself and for any others that may desire the same as I do! Thank you in advance! Amen. How can you be a good steward today? Watch where God is working and join Him!!! Many blessings to each of you reading this!!

Faith over Fear

/ Robin Glinka / 1 Comment
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Faith or Fear?! Two opposing forces that effect every choice we make. It affects our response to things that life throws at us. It shapes how we go through good times and band times. According to the dictionary app- Faith is, “confidence or trust in person or thing,” and fear is, “a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined.” In times when all is going well, it’s easy to remain in the wheelhouse of faith in our responses and actions. It is when life throws things at us that difficult that our faith becomes challenged, but it is also during these times that we allow ourselves to be driven by either faith or fear. It challenges us to take a hard look at where we truly have our trust. Is our trust in God? In self? In others? The answer to the question, “in whom or what do I truly trust?” affects our response in good times and times of trouble, grief, and crisis.

I understand fear first hand. It’s paralyzing. Decisions made out of fear, whether based on good or bad situations, are clouded in doubt, chaos, and indecision. For example: If I don’t get that stove while it is on sale, then I’ll not be able to afford it or it’ll be unavailable later. That’s a fear based decision. I’ve found that fear based decisions steal my peace and leave my spirit unsettled most of the time. Sometimes fear keeps me from making any decision at all because I’m not sure any decision I make will be a good one. I end up telling myself the lie that it’s better to just stay put in a spot of “comfort”-the known, even if it’s not healthy.

Faith or fear? This is something that challenged me when I had a recent emergency surgery at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. I had a choice: Do I respond with faith or fear? Gratitude or grumbling? Prayer and praise or despair and doubt? As a proclaiming Christian, my decisions would either strengthen my faith walk and testimony or it would move me, and possibly others, farther from God and make my testimony weaker. Did I want to look like those that don’t have the hope, joy, and peace the Lord gives us in good and bad times? God is unchanging, so I had to decide if I was going to stay steadfast in knowing His character and faithfulness or if was I going to allow the fear of the unknown immobilize me.

Faith calls us to mobilize in prayer and praise, our greatest weapons in times of troubles. It gives me genuine confidence, “God confidence,” as Joyce Meyers once called it as opposed to worldly confidence, trusting primarily in myself and others. Power is released in the unseen spiritual realm with prayer and praise. The spiritual realm is where the real battle for Christians takes place. The enemy flees at the name of Jesus and when we praise and pray. The enemy thrives when we become so immobilized by fear that chaos and doubt take the forefront, making God’s people feel so defeated that they stop praying and praising. I’ve struggled with feeling defeated and have found it difficult to pray and praise in difficult times. I only waiver when I take my eyes off God and become self-focused. When we stop praying and praising, the enemy has, in a sense, gained the upper hand in the spiritual battle, and we are not using the power and authority that the blood of Jesus gives us.

So, why do we not stay strong in times of despair? Everybody must answer this question on their own, for themselves. We know we serve a faithful Father who is for us and desires to bless us. Yes, there is still diseases and other bad things in our world. I don’t understand why some people are healed and others aren’t–why good people experience bad or why some prayers are answered and others aren’t–but I do know that God is good, that we are called to pray for healing, and that we should trust and love the Lord with all our heart, unconditionally loving others as He has loved us. We must keep our eyes focused on Him. We are called to be grateful for all we do have, for new ways of doing things, and for new challenges. Challenges force us to grow. They force us to be creative, to get out of the rut of complacency and busy-ness, to enjoy the little things, to shift focus and evaluate what’s truly important.

I see a renewing in the midst of these crazy times. I see families spending time together that they didn’t have before. Parents are learning to be creative with their kids. Communities are pulling together. The Church working in new ways to engage and encourage members, a forced slowing down during this self-isolation period. Introverts are loving the situation a bit more than extroverts, but it is giving people opportunities to self-reflect, almost like a reset button. We are even seeing signs of the Earth healing: canals in Venice becoming clear and fish returning, pollution over China dissipating!

In the midst of all the craziness and challenges, there is good. Can you see it? Will you choose to stay grateful and faithful, or will you simply choose to be negative and fearful? It’s a choice only you can make, and it will affect how you will ride this storm or any storm during this journey of life. Choosing faith over fear left me feeling peace during my surgery and recovery, knowing God was orchestrating my journey.

Personally, having God as my anchor, putting my trust in Him and His promises, helps me enjoy every day He gives me. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t always been this way. Occasionally during difficult times, I still struggle, but since I have made the choice to fully trust and lean on God no matter what, I have had more peace and joy, no matter the circumstances that arise. It empowers me to encourage others and be a conduit of God’s love.

I pray you choose to trust Him fully in all circumstances. It will change how you live and respond to life. I know it did for me. Spend time with Him: read his word, pray, be grateful, encourage others, and never doubt His unconditional and passionate love for you! Choose Faith over Fear! Many blessings to you and yours!

Faith and Integrity

/ Robin Glinka / Leave a comment
Photo by Roberto Nickson on Pexels.com

Two things no one can take from you: your faith and your integrity!

I’ve often said there are two things in life no one can take from you-your faith and your integrity. While both can be challenged and attempts made to mar or discredit each-ultimately it is the actions of the individual that define and demonstrate one’s faith and integrity. Let’s look at each in a bit more depth.

Faith is defined in the dictionary app as “1. confidence or trust in a person or thing 2. belief that is not based on proof”. For me, my faith is an internal sense of knowing God’s love for me. It’s a trust that no matter what life brings my way, God is there. He is guiding me and writing my story in a way that only He can. My challenge is to keep my eyes on Him and only Him, listening attentively and obeying what He calls me to do. Thankfully, He is a gracious and merciful God that gently redirects me(if I’m willing to listen) when I go astray. You see, even God has given us free will-a choice. He pursues us, but ultimately it is our choice to submit and be obedient to His call and will. How trusting is that of Him to give us a choice in the matter?! He wants a relationship with you and I, but ultimately He gives us the choice. So I as an individual am responsible to decide what I will believe and who I will follow during this time here on earth. No one can take that from me. That’s not to say some won’t challenge it, mock it or try to change my belief, but I get to choose what I will put my trust and faith in each day. So the question is what or who will you put your faith in, or will you choose to have none?

Integrity is defined in the dictionary app as “1. adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character, honesty 2. state of being whole, entire, or undiminished.” My integrity is another area that I as an individual have control over and is a result of what my words and actions portray. Do my words and actions match? What is my moral compass for the choices and decisions I make? Am I willing to say sorry and seek forgiveness when I do wrong or hurt someone unintentionally? Am I more selfish and me focused or am I more concerned for others and want to be a servant and help? What do I see in others when I interact with them? How do I interact with them-lovingly or judgmentally? Do I see the good in them or do I only see flaws? When tough decisions have to be made, do I do what is right regardless of the outcome or do I choose to do what may be easy and more comfortable despite it not necessarily being the right choice? All these questions and how I respond paints a picture of my integrity as a person. While others may from the outside make fun of or try to mar one’s character, ultimately it is the my words and actions over a period of time that develop and determine my integrity. Words and actions have to be consistent and unchanging over time and in various situations to withstand external attacks. In a sense, I must be true to who I am and the person I believe God made me to be, with each word, choice and thought I make. While this is no easy task and I know at times I’ve missed the mark. I am grateful for a loving God that a is patient with me and helps me to make amends and get back on track. Accountability and making amends is also a powerful component of one’s integrity as none of us are perfect.

For me faith and integrity are inter related. I put my faith in God and who He says I am-a child of God; a beloved daughter. My moral compass for making decisions in life is based on the character of Jesus who God sent to be our role model. The Bible is where I learn about God and Jesus’ character. Unlike the moral compass of culture, which changes with the times and what’s popular at the moment, the character and compass of Jesus and God is unchanging. No matter the situation or circumstance, God’s character does not change. It’s a solid foundation for building and guiding your life.

I’m grateful for my faith as it gives me hope and guidance in my daily life. It is through my faith, using the character of God and the Bible as my moral compass, that my integrity as a person is built. Where do you place your faith and how is your integrity built? Your integrity and how others see you helps either build trust or destroy trust. It is in trust that deep intimate relationships are built. I am grateful I can fully trust God!!!

Have a blessed and amazing week!!